The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently put the spotlight on the perilous condition of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Due to increasingly warmer waters brought about by climate change, this World Heritage site is in a critical state and continues to experience further decline.
About The Great Barrier Reef
Renowned as the world’s largest and most magnificent coral reef ecosystem, the Great Barrier Reef comprises over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. It is situated in the Coral Sea, off the northeastern coast of Queensland, Australia. Astonishingly, the vastness of the reef can be seen from outer space, making it the world’s largest single structure formed by living organisms.
At the heart of this structure are billions of tiny organisms known as coral polyps. These polyps are genetically identical, soft-bodied organisms. Each polyp possesses a sturdy, protective limestone skeleton, called a calicle, at its base which contributes to the formation of coral reefs. Within their tissues, these polyps house microscopic algae known as zooxanthellae. A mutualistic or symbiotic relationship exists between the corals and these algae. The Great Barrier Reef gained recognition as a World Heritage Site in 1981 due to its ecological significance.
Climate Change Threats to the Coral Reefs
Rising seawater temperatures associated with climate change have led to the death of coral across a vast expanse of the 2,300-kilometer-long reef. Dead corals leave behind skeletal remains in a process known as coral bleaching. Under stressful changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients, corals expel the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae that reside within their tissues resulting in them turning completely white – a clear sign of coral bleaching. However, if the bleaching caused by stress is not severe, corals can recuperate. Instances of coral bleaching have been noted regularly in the Caribbean, Indian, and Pacific oceans.
In August 2019, Australia marked down its long-term outlook for the reef to “Very Poor” for the first time. There are rising concerns that it may soon be included in the List of World Heritage in Danger. This list seeks to alert the global community about conditions that endanger the qualities that led to a site’s inclusion in the World Heritage List and stimulate remedial actions.
The Role of the International Union for Conservation of Nature
The IUCN is a unique membership union consisting of both government and civil society organizations. Established in 1948, the Switzerland-based organization stands as the global authority on the condition of the natural world and the necessary measures required to protect it. One of its crucial contributions is the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which is the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of various plant and animal species.
